Results 8,781-8,800 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department is currently assessing options with a view to identifying the optimum solution for the long-term needs of the school referred to by the Deputy.  This includes the consideration of the proposal to relocate to an alternative site/campus and also of other potential solutions, with a view to making the most appropriate provision possible for the school and for its current and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I am aware that primary schools are experiencing challenges in recruiting substitute teachers. Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent an additional source of supply in 2022/23. Almost 1,900 primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council in 2022. The Department of Education runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: Contact has been made with Donegal County Council (DCC) by my Department to see if the road in question can be taken in charge by DCC. A written response is expected shortly. The Chief State Solicitors Office (CSSO) has also been consulted and is currently working with my Department's School Property Management section on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The last academic year completed before 27 June 2020 was 2019/2020, and the latest academic year for which we have finalised data is 2021/2022. There has been an increase of over 4,000 teachers employed in our schools over that 2-year period (2019/2020-2021/2022). Primary teacher numbers have increased from 37,839 to 40,351 and post-primary teacher numbers have increased from 29,093 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  The purpose of my Department's School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The information being sought will be collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy once available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. Parents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, is an important piece of legislation which has introduced a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools.  The Act provides that all schools must have an Admission Statement as part of the schools admissions policy. The Admission...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: There are extensive training and curricular supports available to schools, including through the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), Webwise.ie and the Department funded national anti-bullying website www.tacklebullying.ie to assist schools in the development of policies and practices on the prevention of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that earlier this year, I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience which will: - Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century - Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system - Embed wellbeing and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. Parents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.   The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together. Difficulty with school attendance is a complex issue that often requires an integrated response from schools, parents and support services.  Supports may be provided by the Tusla Education Support Services (TESS), the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of the Department, the National Council for Special Education, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The project referred to by the deputy has been devolved for delivery to Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB). The brief for this project is extremely complex. This resulted in a more difficult than usual and protracted process of preparation of tender documentation. The original brief provided for a 27 classroom school on a difficult site and it failed to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department undertakes forward planning activity to identify future school requirements to a high degree.  My Department engages with the local authority statutory planning process, conducts its own demographic analysis and uses the combined information to project school place requirements.  In regard to the statutory planning process, Core Strategy figures, are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.  My officials have requested supporting documentation from the school authorities. The application will be assessed upon receipt of the requested documentation.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose.  Additionally,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area.  As the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: A licence for a fixed period (with an option to renew) is currently being arranged in relation to this school car parking requirement. It is expected to be implemented very shortly.